gary_hartjen Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 I am in the process of helping my wife evaluate her parents' estate and came across some old cameras. I am not sure if it qualifies as a "classic" or not, but one appears to be quite old. I found one picture of it on the net, so I believe it to be an Ihagee Patent Klapperflex. It is a folding camera, with bellows for the objective lens and for the vertical view finder. It uses separate plates in the rear for film, (about 35mm?) and appears to have the ability to exchange lenses using a slide out mechanism. Mechanically, it seems to be working and in good condition. There is a leather case and a separate case which holds 3 film "frames". The lens is a Carl Zeiss Tessar 1:4.5, f=12cm. From my research, I found out that Ihagee is mainly famous for the first SLR camera (Xackta), but this clearly pre-dates that by quite a bit. Does anyone have any information on this camera -- it's history or value? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daved1 Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 A picture would help. Ihagee Klapp Reflex was from circa 1920's. Predates the Exakta 35 you mention. Made in 6.5x9 or 9x12 plate sizes. Check ebay or some of the antique camera sites for possible value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daved1 Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Above measurement is in centimeters. German manufactured with 3 possible lenses one of which was the Tessar. Tessars are usually good lenses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary_hartjen Posted July 21, 2008 Author Share Posted July 21, 2008 The film size, based on measuring the interior of the film holder plate, is approximately 8 x 6.5 cm. I am uploading a pictrue of the camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary_hartjen Posted July 21, 2008 Author Share Posted July 21, 2008 Here is a second try at posting a photo of the camera.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daved1 Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Yep that's her. Cool camera. Like I said, check ebay or antique camera sight for price. Could be worth a few hundred dollars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connealy Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Looks like a wonderful camera for its time, and yours appears to be in excellent condition. Unless there was a rotating back, it would have been a bit of a challenge to shoot in landscape orientation, though I suppose one could use the external viewfinder.<br><br>You may have missed some Google hits if you used the spelling in your message. I did a search on Ihagee "Patent Klapp Reflex" and turned up quite a few references, including one to an ebay live auction sale with a final price of Eur 380.00. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary_hartjen Posted July 21, 2008 Author Share Posted July 21, 2008 Thanks for the info and the spelling correction. I just found 2 on e-bay, both in Germany. The film holder looks to me to be set in Landscape orientation when the view finder is at the top and the tri-pod nut at the bottom. There is also an alternate viewfinder that can replace the film holder at the back. It has leather fold out sides and uses what looks like velum to project the image onto. It is in great condition for being about 80+ years old, but I have nowhere near the expertise to figure out how to put film in it, set the aperature and so forth to take actual pictures. I do like the way it looks and the engineering seems to be first rate.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diser Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Seems like $375 - 475. <a href=http://collectiblend.com/Cameras/Ihagee/Patent-Klapp-Reflex.html>Ihagee, Patent Klapp Reflex on Collectiblend</a><br> Could cost more in Europe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diser Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Also, considering your original case, plates and ex+ condition, I'd expect to sell it for the higher limit or even more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary_hartjen Posted July 21, 2008 Author Share Posted July 21, 2008 Again, thank you all for the excellent information. It really helped. - Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winfried_buechsenschuetz1 Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 BTW, you made a strange typo in the subject line. For someone who speaks german it looks like a "Freudian error"... The camera actually is called "Klappreflex" which is an artificial word and abbreviation for "klappbare Reflex(kamera)" (folding reflex camera). The word "Klapperflex" you used would mean "rattling reflex (camera)", the verb "klappern" translates into "to rattle" (rattlesnake translates into "Klapperschlange"). I hope your camera is NOT really rattling... BTW several manufacturers made similar folding monsters. There was a Welta Superflex, one of the very rare 6x9 TLR cameras which could be folded together, too - and which even had a swivelling film back. An image of the camera in panoramic position can be found here: http://www.ajcc.gr.jp/sub1.44.html I think there were one or two more folding TLR cameras in the 1920 and 1930s - the Zecaflex comes to my mind: http://www.ukcamera.com/classic_cameras/zeh1.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary_hartjen Posted July 22, 2008 Author Share Posted July 22, 2008 LOL. My Deutsche is limited to about a dozen words, even though my daughter is currently living there. But, I can tell you this camera does not rattle! I got the spelling I used from e-Bay, I think. So, someone out there has a "rattling reflex camera" for sale. But this isn't it. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rose_duclos Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 What a beautiful camera... maybe I should try to get one of those into my collection too... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_m Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 Klapperflex - what a great name for a camera! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_mcbride2 Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Camera was made by Ihagee of Dresden beween 1923 & 1933 with various lens shutter combinations. Ihagee went on to manufacture ( & become Commonly known) as Exakta! I own several exactas and have 3 pre Exaktas including a 1924 version of your Patent Klapp Reflex which takes pride of place in my collection I am also a camera dealer with retail premises in the uk (see sepiamemories.com). Although I bought my Patent Klapp from another dealer at a camera fair for less than £165.00 ($330) I would not dream of selling it for less than double that, anyway its not for sale! One did sell in germany this year for 780 euros, My advise, keep it and enjoy the pleasure of cleaning & learning how it works Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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